Two free, public workshops aimed at helping offshore saltwater anglers reduce bycatch mortality in snapper and grouper species will be held at two coastal Georgia locations in June.

The workshops will be held Wednesday, June 19, at the Susan Shipman Education Center, One Conservation Way, Brunswick, Ga., and Thursday, June 20, at the Armstrong Center, 13040 Abercorn St., Savannah, Ga. Both events begin at 7 p.m. and will last about an hour.

Dr. Al Segars, a retired veterinarian and conservationist, will present on the use of fish descending devices. These devices help improve the survival rate of caught-and-released fish by safely returning them to appropriate depths and reversing the effects of barotrauma.

“This workshop will provide offshore anglers with a free opportunity to learn how to recognize barotrauma, use best practices to minimize its effect and receive free descending devices to more quickly return fish to the depth at which they were caught,” said Kathy Knowlton, a fisheries management and programmatic specialist for marine fisheries with the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. “These are important and timely topics for anglers fishing offshore.”

Workshop participants will be eligible to win free SeaQualizer brand descending devices.

No registration is necessary for either of the workshops. Anyone with questions may contact Tyler Jones, communications specialist with the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, at 912-262-3140 or tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov.